Bones + Longing

In June 2012, Gemma Hayes started working on Bones+Longing where she worked on writing new material in Ireland.[11]

Hayes had previously planned to move back to Los Angeles to work on the album, but later decided against this decision and continued to reside in Dublin.[12]

By August 9, 2012, Hayes announced she had begun a side-project with long-term producer David Odlum and was continuing to work on her own material. Hayes also confirmed the future release of a live limited edition vinyl (previously billed for 2013 release).Night & Day's release was deferred until spring 2014 and was funded through her Pledge Music campaign. By October 2012, Hayes began a short tour of Ireland and the UK, Hayes would not return to the live music scene until 2013.[13]

By April 22, 2013 Hayes announced a new batch of songs were written while in Ireland and demos where being finalized in a studio in France where the bones of the fifth studio album (later titled named as Bones+Longing) were recorded.[14][15]

During July 2013, Hayes returned to Ireland to tour as part of A Woman's Heart.[16] On August 16, 2013 Hayes launched her Pledge Music campaign where fans and pledgers could support the album's production and release[17][18]

During the early stages of the album's production Hayes became pregnant and production finished in late December and recommenced again in mid-February due to the birth of her baby. On 10 April 2014, Hayes revealed the titles of three new songs 'To Be Your Honey' (a preview of which was made available on her website), 'Palomino' and 'Making My Way Back'. Hayes later confirmed mixing and mastering took place in France the next month[19]

In April 2014, Hayes performed a number of UK gigs[20][21] prior to the release of the fifth studio album. These gigs were part of her Pledge Music campaign. On June 16, 2014, Hayes confirmed the album was completed.[22]

On June 24, 2014 her management hinted the album's title as Bones & Longing.[4] Following this Hayes discussed the album's production and confirmed new tracks were recorded including 'The Shit I Own’ and ‘Caught My Hand’. A 21-second snippet of a new track ‘Making My Way Back’ was also revealed.[23][24]

On July 9, 2014 the album's producer David Odlum confirmed the albums was mixed and mastered and ready for a late autumn release.[25] On July 29, 2014 Hayes' management confirmed a photoshoot took place to promote the forthcoming album release.[26]

On August 1, 2014 Hayes confirmed through her Pledge Music[3][27] page her fifth studio album is titled Bones + Longing.

On September 22, 2014 Hayes announced the first single release from album 'Chasing' would precede the album's release due in November.[28]

The album was released independently through her own label Chasing Dragons (similar to Hollow of Morning and Let It Break), it was initially anticipated for the album to be licensed to other labels for release in other territories.

On September 20, 2014 the album's artwork was revealed.[29] On October 1, 2014 the album's full track listing was revealed along with 30 second snippets of each track.[30]

The album was released in Ireland, North America and the UK in November 2014. It received a wider international release in February/March 2015.

Hayes began to promote the album in the Republic of Ireland between October 2014 to February 2015 making regular appearances on both national and local radio stations such as Today FM,[49] TXFM[50] and Newstalk performing tracks such as Making My Way Back and To Be Your Honey live in studio.

On December 5, 2014 Hayes was interviewed by arts and cultural show The Works on RTÉ One's where she performed 'To Be Your Honey'.[51]

On December 9, 2014 she made an appearance on Newstalk where she performed two tracks performed 'Making My Way Back' and 'To Be Your Honey'.[52]

As part of the promotion for the new album Hayes the Irish edition of The Sunday Times ran a feature on the artist on December 14, 2014. She would later appear on the cover of Cara Magazine Aer Lingus' in-flight magazine.[53]

Hayes began to promote the album outside Ireland in early 2015 with interviews on BBC Radio in the UK, by March she travelled to France and Germany to do a number of performances. On March 2 the album received an international release with a press release in Paris at Centre Culturel Irlandais where she performed at the venue and did a number of promos for local and national radio in France.[54] On March 6, Hayes travelled to Germany for promotional purposes where she completed a number of interviews for both German radio[55] and television.[56] She later performed at Berlin's Bar Bobu.[57]

On March 24, 2015 Hayes confirmed live dates across Ireland and the UK.[58] On March 24, 2015 she shared the promo video for 'To Be Your Honey'.[59] On the same day she completed an interview with RTÉ 2fm where she discussed motherhood, her Pledge music campaign and additional gigs in Ireland.[60]

On March 26, 2015 a special promo video was released for To Be Your Honey recorded in Paris.[61]

All tracks written by Gemma Hayes.

Standard CD / download / vinyl version

The release of the limited deluxe edition of Bones+Longing was delayed numerous times. It was eventually released to fans from mid-September 2015. The deluxe edition features the original track listing from the standard vinyl release it also features two additional CD's. CD 1 features the standard album version and CD features Bonus material including previously unreleased tracks 'Palomino (Will Pharaoh remix)', 'Slowdive' and 'Swimming In The Flood'. Only 300 have been produced as part of her Pledge Music campaign. The 12" 180gm vinyl pressing comes cream in colour presented in a 12” case bound, hardback format which includes a 32-page booklet featuring exclusive photographs shot during the album sessions as well as song-lyrics. Each copy is hand numbered, personalized and signed by Gemma.

A short tour began on October 4, 2014 which took place until November with tour dates in the UK. In December 2014, Gemma Hayes toured with Bell X1's Paul Noonan as part of the Printer Clips the tour dates were in the Republic of Ireland. In February 2015, Hayes continued with further UK tour dates where she supported with Scott Mattew. Hayes is expected to confirm further dates for Ireland, France and Germany in mid-2015. Hayes began her promo tour in the UK in October 2014 before touring Ireland with Paul Noonan's Printer Clips in December. By early 2015, Hayes completed a short UK tour as a support for Scott Mattews. By March 2015, Gemma performed in Paris and Berlin and will commence with an extensive tour of both Ireland and the UK this spring/summer. Hayes is expected to confirm further dates for Ireland, France and Germany for later this year.

• Laughter appeared as 'There's Only Love' on her previous album release Let It Break. Laughter is a demo version of 'There's Only Love' and previously appeared as 'Jets' in 2012.
• Joy[3]
• This Shit I Own
• Caught My Hand (appears on the album as Caught)
• Chasing[63]
• To Be Your Honey[64]
• Palomino
• Making My Way Back[65]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
MOJO	[68]
Hot Press	[69]
ABC Music Reviews	[70]
Drowned In Sound	[71]
The Arts Desk	[72]
The Irish Times	[35]
State Press	[73]

Upon release Bones+Longing received positive reviews from critics.

The UK's MOJO gave the album 4/5.[74] London's Evening Standard described the album as 'still drifting beautifully onwards...'[75] RTÉ 2XM featured the LP in their Albums of The Week[76] describing the album as "...her strongest album...that will enchant even the most cynical musical soul". Drowned In Sound gave the album 8/10 saying it is full of 'depth and texture'.[71] The Arts Desk defined the album as "bound to form an intimate bond with its audience".[72] Q Magazine defined the album as 'Spellbinding'.

• Gemma Hayes – vocals, guitar, piano, arrangement, producer, programming, bassline programming, vocal arrangement, voice arrangement
• David Odlum - producer, engineer, guitar, synth, beats, bass and vocals[77]
• Romy - keys, synths and vocals[22]
• Mark Stanley - Guest drummer on 'Iona'
• Simon Long - Manager & Photography
• Pip - Photography[26]
• Jayne Gould - Design[78]
• Humphrey Bangham - Artwork[63]